John Cowan Hartford (December 30, 1937– June 4, 2001) was an American count… Read Full Bio ↴John Cowan Hartford (December 30, 1937– June 4, 2001) was an American country and bluegrass composer and musician known for his mastery of the fiddle and banjo, as well as for his witty lyrics, unique vocal style, and extensive knowledge of Mississippi River lore. Hartford performed with a variety of ensembles throughout his career, and is perhaps best known for his solo performances where he would interchange the guitar, banjo, and fiddle from song to song. He also invented his own shuffle tap dance move, and clogged on an amplified piece of plywood while he played and sang.
At the time of his death, Hartford was also working on the biography of the blind fiddler Ed Haley. Hartford's album Wild Hog in the Red Bush is a collection of Haley's tunes. Hartford also provided narration for several of Ken Burns' documentaries.
Hartford was given a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame.
Hartford recorded more than 30 albums in his life, ranging across a broad spectrum of styles--from the traditional country of his early RCA recordings, to the new and experimental sound of his early newgrass recordings, to the traditional folk style to which he often returned later in his life. Hartford's albums also vary widely in formality, from the stately and orderly "Annual Waltz" to the rougher and less cut recordings that typified many of his later albums.
"Aereo-Plain" and "Morning Bugle" are often considered to be Hartford's most influential work, coming as they did at the very beginning of a period in which artists such as Hartford and the New Grass Revival, led by Sam Bush, would create a new form of country music, blending their country backgrounds with influences from another of other sources. His later years saw a number of live albums, as well as recordings that explored the repertoire of old-time folk music. He sketched the cover art for some of his mid-career albums, drawing with both hands simultaneously.
From the 1980s onwards, Hartford struggled with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. On June 4, 2001 at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, at age 63, he died of the disease.
Hartford is remembered as an influential and pioneering artist. Never bound by the limitations of one genre, he recorded wherever his interests led him. Performing and recording until his illness rendered him incapable of continuing, Hartford contributed a vast and unique body of work to the library of American music.

Cuckoo's Nest
John Hartford Lyrics

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Dream, I dream a dream of you
A tiny dancer in a field of blue
A pointed toe Tchaikovsky play
To bend you down so lowly

It′s your raven hair that makes me mad
Your insane eyes that make me sad
The California feeling and the Mississippi smile

That makes me come on slowly

It's trying to be real cool and soft
So I won′t take the chance and turn you off
And not to get to know you just because of love
That makes me come on slowly

It isn't that I wouldn't want to make it all come true
Oh baby if I had the chance to be alone with you

It′s watching how you opеrate when the chips arе down
That makes me come on slowly

Overall Meaning

In "Cuckoo's Nest", John Hartford sings about a dream he has of a woman that he's clearly deeply enamored with. He dreams of her dancing, gracefully and elegantly, in a field of blue. He describes her dancing as if it were something out of a Tchaikovsky play - a reference to classical ballet. He's drawn to her beauty, which he describes as her "raven hair", and also to her unique charm and charisma, which he labels a "Mississippi smile" and a "California feeling". He's drawn to her but is hesitant to approach her because he doesn't want to mess things up. He doesn't want to lose what little chance he might have with her by scaring her off.

The song's deeper meaning is about having the courage to go after what you want. John Hartford is clearly conflicted - on the one hand, he's deeply attracted to this woman, but on the other hand, he's scared of her rejecting him. He doesn't know her well, but he longs to. He wonders about how she operates when things get tough because he sees that as a potential window into her soul.

Overall, "Cuckoo's Nest" is a song about being afraid to make a move, but wishing you had the courage to do so. It captures the feeling of approaching someone you're attracted to but not quite knowing how to begin.

Line by Line Meaning

Dream, I dream a dream of you
I long for you in my dreams

A tiny dancer in a field of blue
You are a graceful and lovely presence

A pointed toe Tchaikovsky play
Your movements are like a ballet performance

To bend you down so lowly
I want to be close to you

It's your raven hair that makes me mad
Your beauty drives me crazy

Your insane eyes that make me sad
Your intense gaze makes me emotional

The California feeling and the Mississippi smile
Your personality is a mix of west coast cool and southern warmth

That makes me come on slowly
I am drawn to you gradually

It's trying to be real cool and soft
I am trying to play it cool with you

So I won't take the chance and turn you off
I don't want to do anything to push you away

And not to get to know you just because of love
I want to know you beyond just romantic interest